Ornament



Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENT Application April 5, 1938, Serial No. 200,272

2 Claims.l (Cl. 24U- 103) My invention relates to ornaments and more particularly to ornaments of the type adapted to be associated with light sources for delecting and distributing the light therefrom in an attractive and pleasing manner.

It is a major object of my invention to provide a novel, simple, inexpensive ornament in which a. plurality of reflecting surfaces are arranged to present to the eye of the observer the appear- 1 ance of light rays traveling from an area within the ornament toward the outer periphery of the ornament.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel corrugated reliector made of flexible material capable of retaining a given shape.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel apertured ornament made of exible material capable of retaining a given shape and having corrugations extending from the aperture toward the periphery of the ornament. The ornament may be generally at or dishshaped and the corrugations may be straight, curved or Zig-zag and may extend radially or in any desired direction along the surface of the ornament between the aperture and the outer periphery of the ornament.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel ornament which has a resilient mouthed aperture for enabling the ornament to be pushed over an object onto a support beyond the object without removing the object from the support if the object happens to be somewhat larger than the aperture. In speciiic attainment of this object I propose to provide a reiiector having a resilient mouthed aperture for enabling the reiiector to be pushed over a lamp bulb of larger dimensions than the aperture to a point where the resilient reilector mouth can grip the lamp socket or a similar member designed to maintain the reflector in position to collect and redistribute most of the light rays issuing from the bulb. v

A further object of my invention is toy provide a novel ornamental reflector or the like 45' made of a strip of corrugated flexible material capable of retaining agven shape. y The strip is manipulated to obtain a desired ornamental form and then the ends are secured together to r maintain that form.

'J0 It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel method of forming an ornament from a corrugated strip of flexible material capable of retaining a given shape wherein the opposite ends of the strip are secured together with 55 the corrugations gathered along one side edge of the strip and allowed to expand along the opposite side edge of said strip.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel light source support wherein the light i source is to be disposed in a socket substantially centrally of a corrugated reector made of flexible material capable of retaining a given shape. The socket may be secured directly to the reflector or may be supported partly or wholly on a base or other member associated with the relector.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel, generally annular ornament Whose surface walls are resilient to allow expansion of 15v the ornament and subsequent return toward its initial form before expansion.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection `with the appended claims and the annexed drawings in which: 20

Figure 1 is an end View looking axially into the interior of an ornamental reflector of generally star-shaped form made according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation in section taken through the axis of the reiiector of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a plan vieW of the material generally used in forming the ornament of Figures 1 and 2 illustrating some of the stepsY in the manui facture of the ornament; 3U

Figure 4 is an end view of an ornamental reflector illustrating an embodiment of the invention somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 1 but inwhich the generally radial light reiiecting surfaces are curved so that the ornament 35 gives a whirling or Sunburst appearance;

Figure 5 is an end view of an ornamental reiiecto-r constituting a further modication of the invention illustrating a dierent ornamental form Figure 7 is a plan of an ornamental stand for 50" supporting a candle'o-r other light source whichv is associated with a corrugated reflector which may be constructed along the lines of any of the previous embodiments illustrated in Figures 1-6; and y 55' Figure 8 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the light source socket support structure.

Referring to Figures 1 tof 3, inclusive, an ornamental reflector I I is formed from a strip of corrugated material having its ends secured together by any suitable means such as staple I2. This reflector is preferably manufactured from a single strip I3 of ai suitable material which is capable of retaining a given shape. This material may be opaque or translucent and may be paper,

` stainless steel, tin, aluminum or the like obtainable in sheets of suitable thickness. Preferably a light metal foil or sheet such as aluminum foil is used because such is inexpensive and has inherently a highly reective surface,

As shown in Figure 3, strip I3 can be cut along with a similar strip I4 from a single, flat, rectangular strip of the metal sheet. The nature of the line of separation between strips I3 and I4 determines the contour of the outer periphery of the ornament of Figure 1. Hence, the cutting operation indicated in Figurey 3 predetermines the eventual form of the ornament,y and since strip I4 is a duplicate of stripy I3, there is no waste of material during manufacture.

The material comprising strips I3 and I4 may be of any desired surface'formation, brightness or colo-r. It maybe smooth, crinkled, embossed, perforatedv with different designs and sizes of holes as indicated at I5 in Figure 3, or roughened in any manner. Thesurfaces may be of high specular refiexibility or'may be diffusive. Lacquers and other coloringk materials may be employed on either surface, or both surfaces if desired. The strip materialitself may be inherently colored. The preferred material, sheet metal, is usually chosen to be highly' reflective alongl one surface and colored With a suitable lacquer along its other surface. K

After strip I3 has been cut to form, it is provided With corrugations'vvhich extend laterally of the strip from one side edge towardthe other. These corrugations may extend straight across the strip or maybe curved or formed in `zig-zag manner to produce different optical effects in the nal ornament. corrugations, furthermore, need not be evenly spaced but may be irregular, of different siaesandwmay even have interposed sections of. uncorrugategl. material therebetween. The corrugations ,formedin strip I3 used in Figures 1 and 2`extend laterally across the strip in straight lines substantially normal to the length of the strip andl are generallyequally spaced.

The term corrugationsfy as used-inuthis application, applies to any corrugations, folds, Wrinkies, plaits cr other similar formations, straight or curved, and regular or irregular, Which extend from one edge of the strip. to; the other.`

Obviously, strip I3, need noi; be," a continuous strip but may be theequivalent of such made by fastening separate stripsend topl en d by any suitable securing means such as an v'adhesive or rivets.

After corrugation, the strip is manipulatedinto an ornament of predetermined form, The form illustrated in Figures l and Zis generallydishshaped or frusto-conical 4and is madeby securing opposite ends of strip I3 together with thedcorrugations I6` compressed orA gathered adjacent one side edge of the strip and allowed to expand freely adjacentI the other ,side edge. The ends of strip I3' may be secured together in .any suitable manner such as byan adhesive, stitching,

Wires, staples, solder, rivets, Welding or the like. A suitable mandrel or form may be used if desired during these operations. Obviously, generally dish-shaped ornaments of this character, ranging in depth from approximately cylindrical form to the substantially nat form of Figure 6, can be made in this manner. Furthermore, the ornament Will be expansible and resilient due to the tendency of the distorted corrugations and the stripto return to their original shapes.

Although I have above described the ornament of -my invention as provided with corrugations before the ends of the strip I3 are secured together, it is entireiy Within the scope of my invention to secure the strip ends together in some suitable manner iirst and then apply the Various surface formations and corrugations to the ornament; by the use ofV suitable dies cr other similar forming apparatus.

It isV also to be understood that the ornaments described herein may be formed from tubing madeof metal foil or the like, the tubing being cut in sections ofthe necessary size to form the desired ornament.

Referring to Figure Z'thatside edge of Vthestrip which is adjacent the gathered corrugationportions defines a resilient aperture o r 'mouth` I1, the purpose of Which Will be later described. That side edge of the stripadjacent the exsanded @Orlugeion Portions defines. what will. be called the periphery I 8,'of5the ornarnagit.` 'Ijhe contour of this periphery is determinedby the shape o f outer side edge ofstrip I3Vand, ,ahwn 1nV Figures lf3, a.saw,t pihedsris wiiigive a substantially, star-shaped ornament. Qtlvrer de-` signs cut along the upperedgeof, strip I 3 will give Various Ornamental forms. suchasflcwers. sunbursts, Whirls, snowflakesandthe like. This design, isA a matter of, choice f ait;'hough` it is vgenerallyjchosen to ,use vasrmuh of. the.. strip material as possible Withoutwaste,

Asillustrated inFigure 2,J reflectorA Il.is4 designedrtobe, associated with a,sour:ey ofV light, such as a Christmas tree bulbl Iby. the clamping actionv of the resilient aperture loririouth I 1 about the socket 2I of the lain'p Ari` annular., ridge 22, usually formed onsuchsockets, limitsrearvvard movement of theY reflector along, the socket, a1- though the reflectonmay, be. positioned?. beyond ridge 22 if desired. The ordinary 4Christmas tree bulb is generally larger in diameterfthan its sock;- et.` Heretofore in theprior artwhen it was. desired to support a reflector; on the .Christmas tree lamp socket the reflector was.generally` provided With an aperturevvhich`` fitted. closely-:upon the socket. But since/,ther bulbwas larger inw diameter than the socket, itwas necessary.` toremove the. bulb each time such. ameector. Wasjplaced upon, or removed from, the rsocket. In fact,- many of ,these prior art reiiectorsvvere designed. to beheld in position .by..the.bulb.

The expansible and resilient refiector Hyof; my invention, however, can be `placedon socket-2i Without removingA the lampbulbJaIrom socket 2| This is accomplished-fbxmanually.expanding the. reiieior. until-.aperture l1 isz51arseenouehrto pass, over the, largestrpiu'tnf; the bul.b=When Ythe reiiector is pushed over the =tip.-..end,iof yj the .bulb to-Ward the socket and then,4 releasing-the re,- iiector to allow mouthor, apertureLI'I-ito contact and grip-the socket vvherebyY reflector IIz supports itself upon socket 2 I.Y

From the-above it kvvill be .apparentlthat the ornamental reflector .of my` invention; is sim-ple, inexpensive. and self-supporting, and can 'be quickly and easily attached to or detachedfrom a lamp unit or the like Without removing the lamp and without involving expensive complicated attaching mechanisms. The ornament need not be highly reflective and need not be disposed upon a lamp socket. A very useful application of this invention in its broader scope is in the making of artificial flowers where the ornament formed to constitutethe petals of the ower may be easily slipped upon a stem or support containing the central portion of the flower.

When the ornament o-f my invention is used as a re'ector, its inner surface is ordinarily more highly reflective than its outer 'surface which is usually colored. If desired, however, these surface characteristics can be reversed because ythe resilient nature of the ornament allows it torbe turned inside out end for end while retain-ing the general ornamental form.

An observer looking axially along the open end i of a reflector and lamp unirtwill see a central lifgh-t area from which a plurality of bright light rays, in a predetermined pattern, appear to be issuing and the effect is pleasing and attractive The ornament need not -be supported by the clamping action of mouth I1 about a support but may be seated or suspended as desired by hooks, wires, strings o-r similar means attached to its rim. Preferably, the generally flat form of ornament illustrated in Figure 6 is used in this Inanner in preference to the dish-shaped type.

In the embodiment of Ithe invention illustrated in Figure 4 a dish-shaped ornament y2-3 similar to ornament II in method of manufacture is provided with corrugations 24 which are curved while extending from one edge of the strip m'aterial to the other. When corrugations 24 are all curved in the same general direction as shown in Figure 4, the ornamental effect is that of a Sunburst or other form symlbolizing rotation,

In the embodiment of 'the inventionillustrated in Figure 5 a corrugated rectangular strip 25 of suitable material is formed, with 'its ends secured together by some suitable means suclh as rivet I2', into a generally dish-shaped ornament in the same mlanner as described above in discussing ornament I I. This is the most inexpensive type of ornament since 'it is formed directly from a rectangular strip of material without involving special peripheral cutting.

In the modification illustrated in Figure '6 the ornament, constructed in the same general manner as that of Figure 1, is generally flat in that the aperture 21 lies in `substantially the same plane as the periphery 28. This type of ornament may be used upon a lamp socket as shown in Figure 2, or may be suspended from a suitable support las described above, or may be u-sed as a. final member by providing the seating structure shown in Figure 6.

A bendable, semi-rigid wire 29 extends along the corrugation 3`I adjacent the overlapped ends of strip 32 from which the ornament is formed.`

at its inner end, wire 29 i's bent to form a loop 33 substantial-ly concentric with aperture 21. A suitable insulator 34 having spring lingers 35 for accommodating a lamp unit is held over aperture 21 between loop 33 and one side of the ornament. Wire 29 is also secured to the ornament along corrugation 3l by wires or similar suitable fastening means 30 and terminates in a 'spirally wound generally conical spring socket 3S adapted to fit over the top of a Christmas tree or the like.

When socket 3B is seated on the tip end of a Christmas tree or the like, the reflector is supported by wire 29 and a suitable lamp unit (not shown) can be supported upon insulator 34`by means of fingers 35. 'Ihe ornament in Figure' 6 gives the same lighting effects as the other ornaments of my invention.

be wired for electricity.

Socket 38 comprises a at base 39 which i's secured within the reflector over the bottom end of a hollow posit 4l Win-ose upper open end terminates in a reduced section 42 extending through vthe aperture at the top of reflector 31. Base 39 and post 4I yare preferably. of some light, inexpensive fibrous composition such as cardboard but' are substantial in area to r-eenforce reflector 31. Reduced post section '42 is surrounded by a metal collar 43 and a substantiallyhorizontal annular plate 44 is disposed aboutthe upper edge of collar 43 andy held thereupon by a metal collar 45 secured internally of post 4I and having a lateral downwardly extending flange 46 engaging the top surface of plate 44. Plate 44 is preferably corrugated or otherwise decorated to cooperate optically with reflector 31.

The above described ornamental light source support 31 is preferably made of a stiffer material than can be used for the ornaments of the type illustrated in Figure 1 but the method of manufacture is :the same. As shown in Figure 8, the ornamental support usually rests upon a at surface with spaced portions of its periphery contacting the surface, While the socket is wholly supported thereupon. A candle or the like is inserted in socket 38 and reflector 31 distributes light therefrom. The large peripheral exten-t of reflector 31 prevents accidental overturning of the candle and is a :positive safety feature.

The invention may be embodied in other speciiic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. 'I'he present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the

k scope of the invention being indicated by the appended lclaims rather .than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A light weight relectorornament consisting of a self-supporting, expansible, open-ended, substantially frustro-conical, reversible hollow element made from a single resilient strip of corrugated material which has its opposite ends joined so Ithat its corrugations extend generally radially along the surface of said element, the inner and outer surfaces of said element having materially different light modifying characteristics and said element by reason of its resilient construction being deformable in the general direction of its axis to such extent as to be speedily f and easily upon an illuminated fixture compris- .75

ing a` socket having a portion larger than. the smaller. open endv -ofsaidelement andai-amp bulb in said socket havingA atlortion appreciably larger than the smaller open end of saidlelement Without removing .the lamp bulbfrom its socket; and

said corrugations being gathered tight-1y about the smaller open end of saidj element so as to` provide ay highly resilient socket gripping mouth which is appreciably expansible to per-mitsaid element to be pushed past the tip of said lamp bulb and over and beyond said large portion of said lamp bulb to said socket and is inherently contractible toward its original shape to r-mly grip with its resilient mouth said vportion of said socketand thereby support itself rmly upon said xture with a reflector surface in operative relation to said lamp b ulb.

2. A light Weight self-supportingA reflector ornament consisting of an expansibla open-ended, substantially frustro-coni'cal hollow element having inner and outer surfaces of different light refleeting characteristics, the walls of said elemeni'l being made of thin sheet material capable of retaining a given shape and formed with a plurality of closely adjacent corrugations which extend generally radially along the surfaces of said element and` are curved in the sarnegeneral directionto impart an appearance of rotation tosad ornament when illuminated and which render said-.Walls extremely resilient circumferentially of said element,` saidl element being adapted to be mounted speedily and' easily upon an illuminated -xturecomprising a lamp socket having a portion larger ythan the smaller open end` of said element and a lamp bulb in said socket having a portion appreciablyl larger; than fthe smaller open end of said-4 element without removing the lamp bulb from its socket, and saidcorrugations being gathered tightly about the smaller open end of said element so as to provide a highly resilienft socket gripping mouth which is appreciably expansible to permit Said element ,to be pushed past the tip of said lamp bulb andover and beyond saidlarge portionof saidlamp bulb .to said socket'and is inherently contractible toward its original shape to firmly grip with its resilient mouth said portion of said socket and thereby support itself firmly upon said xture with a reflector surf-ace in operative relation .to said lamp bulb, and said element, by reason of its resilientl construction, being deformable and reversible to present eitherv of said surfaces -to reflect light from said bulb.

DAVID H. GROSSER. 

